STRANGE MUSEUMS _ There are around 5,300 museums in the U.S., some large and many small. Here are some of the world’s strangest museums.
• The Instant Ramen Museum in Japan. In 1958 — after a year of experimenting in his backyard shed— Momofuku Ando invented the world’s first instant noodles: Chicken Ramen. The Momofuku Ando Instant Ramen Museum documents this chapter of Japan’s food culture, where visitors can view instant noodles packages from around the world.
• International Museum of Toilets. Located in India’s buzzing capital of New Delhi, the Sulabh International Museum of Toilets details the history of hygiene and sanitation from 2500 B.C. to present day.
• Ventriloquist Museum. In 1910, William Shakespeare Berger bought his first dummy: Tommy Baloney. By 1947, his collection had grown so large he renovated his garage to house the figures, and in 1962, he had to construct a second building. Today, Vent Haven Museum in Fort Mitchell, Kentucky, displays more than 800 dummies, photos, playbills, and historical books from Berger’s collection.
• Dog Collar Museum. This museum, in Kent, England, was founded in 1977, when antique collector Gertrude Hunt presented her beloved collection of 60 dog collars to Leeds Castle. Since then, the museum has continued to expand, and there are now more than 130 exhibits, dating from the sixteenth century.
• Kansas Barbed Wire Museum. Did you know that barbed wire was first patented in 1874? Or that it played a crucial role during the World War I, when its high tensile strength made it a powerful deterrent against enemy tanks? This museum has more than 2,000 types of barbed wire on display.
WOMEN WEAR JUST 25 PERCENT OF THEIR SHOES _ The average woman owns 20 pairs of shoes, but only wears 5 of them, according to a study. 90 percent of women say they have a pair that have never left the closet. Top reasons some shoes never leave their box:
• Too uncomfortable
• They have an impractical heel
• They don’t match any outfits
• Too expensive to damage
• They were an unwanted gift
WHAT DO YOU CALL YOUR HONEY? _ What do you call your honey? Well, apparently, many people call their honey “honey.” Here are the top ten terms of endearment.
1. Babe
2. Baby
3. Sugar
4. Honey
5. Darling
6. Love
7. Sweetheart
8. Angel
9. Lover
10. Hot Stuff
